Retardation controller



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RETARDATION CONTROLLER Filed Jan. l8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

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lb BY 0/ ATTORNEY GEORGE w. BAUGHMAN Aug. 25, 1936. G. w. BAUGHMAN 2 5 RETARDATION CONTROLLER Filed Jan. 18 19:54 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a Fig.5

INVENTOR GEORGE W; BAUGHMAN A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 25, 1936 NITED STATES RETARDATION CONTROLLER George W. Baughman, Edgewood, Pa., assignor to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Applicationlianuary 18, 1934, Serial No. 707,043

' 17 Claims.

This invention relates to retardation controller devices, and more particularly to retardation controller devices for controlling the retardation of railway vehicles.

If the brakes of a railway vehicle equipped with friction brakes are applied with a maximum braking force when the vehicle is traveling at a relatively high speed, then this braking fforce must be diminished as the speed of the vehicle diminishes, because the coefiicient'cf friction between the rubbing parts of the brake increases asthe speed of the. vehicle diminishes, and if the braking force is maintained constant wheel skidding may result. The necessary reduction in the applied braking force may be effected by manipulation of the usual brake valve device, or by some form of automatic means. One form of automatic means is that which controls the applied braking force in a manner such that the rate of retardation due thereto is maintained substantially constant.

It is a principal object of my invention to provide means employing an element responsive to variations in the rate of retardation for 'controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to and its release from a brake cylinder.

It is another object of my invention to provide a retardation controller apparatus of the inclined plane type, which is of simple construc tion and readily adaptable to the controlof an electro-pneumatic or other type brake.

A yet further object of my invention is to provide a retardation controller device of the inclined plane type which has associated therewith means providing for the selection of different rates of retardation due to braking, and means for automatically. controlling the brakes to maintain the selected rate of retardation.

A still further object is to provide means in connection with a retardation controller device for releasing the brakes in the event of wheel skidding, the release of the brakes being continued so long as wheel skidding takes place, butceasing as soon as the skidding wheels com mence to rotate again.

Other important objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, which is taken in connection with the attached drawings, in which Fig. l is a schematic arrangement of one embodiment of my invention for controlling an electro-pneumatic brake.

Fig. 2'is a vertical side view of the retardation controller deviceshown in Fig. 1.,

Fig. 3 is a View along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;,

Fig. 4 is a view along the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a schematic arrangement of apparatus comprising another embodiment of my inventicn for controlling an electro-pneumatic brake. 5

Fig. 6 is a vertical side view of the retardation controller device shown in Fig. 5.

Considering first the embodiment shown in Fig. 1,' I have provided a retardation controller device In for operating a supply magnet valve 10 device l2 and a release magnet valve device I l, for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to and itsrelease from a brake cylinder iii.

The retardation controller device ill comprises a body l9, preferably of. some electric-ally insulatl5 ing material, such for example, as molded bakelite, hard rubber, or the like, which is provided with a fiat base I! adapted to be secured to some part of the vehicle which will maintain the base portion ll substantially horizontal with respect to the line of travel of the vehicle.

The body I9 is also provided with an inclined trackway IS, the lowermost portion of the trackway having one degreeof inclination or slope and the uppermost portion having another degree of inclination or slope.

Embedded in the material forming'the body l9 and having an exposed face in flushrelatio'n with and forming part of one side of the trackway I8 is a contact strip' 24. Also similarly disposed along the adjacent and opposite side of the trackway and insulated from each other arecontact strips 26 and 28. The contact strip 24 is arranged. with respect to the contact strips 26 and 28 so that it may be connected to the contact strips 26 and 28 sequentially, or successively, by a moving mass, as a metallic ball 20; when the mass is caused to move along the trackway l8.'

The body- I 9 is secured to a vehicle in amanner 40 such that when the vehicle is at rest or traveling at a constant. rate of speed; the ball 20 will assume a position at the foot'of the inclined trackway I8. against a stop or rest'BO integral with the body 19. p 1 V 1 When the vehicle is decelerating, force of inertia will act upon the ball 20 to roll it up the inclined trackway. The rate at'which the ball rolls up the trackway will be dependent upon the rate of retardation of the vehicle and the slope of the portion of the trackway upon which the ball is rolling. For example,.a given rate of retardation will cause the ball 20 to 'roll up the first portion of theftrackway at onerate, while the same rate of retardation will cause the ball til to roll up the latter part of the trackway at a lower rate, since the slope of the latter portion is greater than that of the first portion. The purpose of having the ball roll up the inclined trackway and successively connect the cont-act strip 24 with the contact strips 26 and 28 will appear presently.

The supply magnet valve device I2 comprises a casing defining a valve chamber 38 which is in constant communication with a source of fluid under pressure, as for example, a reservoir 32, by a pipe 3| Disposed in the valve chamber39 is a valve 34 secured to a valve stem 36 and adapted to cooperate with a valve seat 38 to control the supply of fluid under pressure from the reservoir 32 to the brake cylinder I6 through pipe 48. The valve 34 is urged to seated position by a spring 42, and is urged to unseated position by action of an electro-magnet (not shown) within the casing which when energized moves the valve stem 36 downwardly to unseat the valve 34.

The release magnet valve device I4 comprises a casing defining a valve chamber 44 which is in constant communication with the atmosphere through port 46. Disposed in the valve chamber 44 is a valve 48, secured to a'valve stem 58 and cooperating with a valve seat 52 tofcontrol the release of fluid pressure from the brake cylinder I6 to the atmosphere through pipe 45 and port 46. The valve 48 is urged to unseated position by a spring 54, and to seated position by an electromagnet (not shown) within the casing which when energized moves the valve stem downwardly to seat the valve 48. v V

For operating the supply magnet valve device I2 and the release magnet valve device I4 in accordance with the position of the ball 28 on the inclined trackway I8, I have provided a plurality of relays which will be referred to presently in connection with a description of the operation of this embodiment of my invention.

For effecting an application of the brakes I have provided a contact making handle 64 for making contact with contacts 66 and 68, and which is in release position when out of engagement with the contacts 66 and 68, as shown in Fig. 1, and in application position when in contact therewith. v

In the description of operation of this and the other embodiment which follows, I have forconvenience indicated all conductors which are connected to one side of a source of current supply, such, for example, as a battery, by the letter a, and all conductors which are connected to the other side of this source by the letter b, so that it may be assumed that current flows from this source through the conductors marked 'a, and back to the source through the "conductors marked 1).

In operation, when it'is desired to effect an application of the brakes, the handle 64 is moved to application position, whereupon current is supplied through contact 68 to the'electro-magnet of the release magnet valve device I4 to'cause the valve 48 to be seated, thereby cutting off theventing of the brake cylinder I6 to the atmosphere. Also, a slow pick up relay 14 is energized by current supplied through the con'tactf66. However, before the relay I4 has opened its contacts I6, current is supplied through the contacts I6 to the electro-magnet' of the supply magnet valve device I2, whereupon valve34jis unseated and fluid under pressure flows from the reservoir 32 past the'unseate'd valve 34 to the brake cylinder I6 through pipes 3| and 40.

As pressure in the brake cylinder builds up the brakes are applied with increasing force. The relay I4 is designed to open contacts I6 when the pressure in the brake cylinder has reached a predetermined or chosen value, after which the electro-magnet in the supply valve device I2 is deenergized and the valve 34 is seated by action of spring 42, to cut ofi the supply of fluid to the brake cylinder.

Current is also supplied through contact 68 to energize a relay 60 to close contacts 62, for a purpose which will appear presently.

Assuming that the vehicle is decelerating on a level track, or roadway, the ball 28v rolls up the inclined trackway I8. As before described, the inclination or slope of the first portion of the trackway is such that the ball does not begin to roll thereon until a certain rate of retardation has been exceeded. Above this rate the ball begins to roll up the trackway. In a like manner, the upper portion of the trackway has an inclination such that the ball will not roll thereup below a certain rate of retardation.

However, since fluid is initially supplied to the brake cylinder at a maximum rate, only a short interval elapses until the ball rolls up the first portion of the trackway and bridges between the contact strips 24 and 26, whereupon a slow release relay I8 is energized, thereby closing contacts 89. Closing of contacts 88 will have no effect upon the retardation of the vehicle as yet and the ball 28 will continue to roll up the trackway until it bridges contact strips 24 and 28.

Bridging of contacts 24 and 28 energizes relay 82, thereby closing contacts 84 and 86. of contacts 86 energizes relay 88, thereby closing contacts 90 and opening contacts 92. If the relay I4 has not by this time opened contacts I6 then opening of the contacts 92 interrupts the circuit to the electromagnet of the supply valve device I2, whereupon the valve 34 is seated by the spring 42 and the supply of fluid to the brake cylinder is cut off. The supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder may therefore be cut off either by operation of the relay I4, or by operation of the retardation controller device, depending on which occurs first.

It is to be understood however that before the supply is cut off'due to operation of relay I4 suflicient pressure will have been developed in the brake cylinder to produce the desired maximum rate of retardation, which will in general result in operation of relay 88. It will be apparent then that fluid under pressure is only supplied to the brake cylinder during the initial stage of a brake application.

Closing of contacts 86 also energizes a relay 94 through the contacts 62 of the already energized relay 60. Energization of relay 94 causes contacts96 to openthe circuit to the electro-magnet of the release magnet valve device I4. 'Fluid pressure will, therefore, be released from the brake cylinder I6 to the atmosphere through pipe 45 and'port '46. This release will, however, be very shortly interrupted because opening of contacts 96 also causes deenergization of the relay 60, which opens contacts 62 to deenergize the relay 94, whereupon contacts 96 again close to again energize the electro-magnet of the release valve device I4.

A little thought will show that so long as the contacts 86 of relay 82 are closed, the relays 60 and 94 will continue to intermittently energize each other, to intermittently effect a release of fluid pressure from the brake cylinder l6, until Closing the rate of retardation has dropped to the point where the ball 20 has rolled out of contact with the contact strip 28. When this happens relay 82 will be cleenergized' and contacts 84 and 88 will be opened. Relay 88 is, however, maintained energized due to energization of a holding coil therein when contacts 90 are closed, current being supplied through contacts which have been held closed due to energization of the relay I0 through contacts'84 of relay 82. Relay 18 remains closed while the ball 20 passes from the contact strip 28 to the contact strip 26 due to the slow release feature of the relay.

As the ball 20 rolls out of contact with the contact strip 28, the supply of fluid to the brake cylinder will be lapped. The braking force produced by this lap condition will produce a rate of retardation which will hold the ball 20 on the inclined trackway in contact with contact strip 26.

As the speed of the vehicle diminishes, the coeflicient of friction between the rubbing parts of the brakes will increase, and the rate of retardation will therefore increase, so that the ball will again roll up the trackway and again contact with contact strip 28 to further release fluid pressure from the brake cylinder in the manner just described.

It will therefore be obvious that as the speed of the vehicle diminishes further, the rate of retardation will again increase due to the increase in coeflicient of friction between the rubbing parts of the brakes, and theball 20 will therefore roll back and forth up and down the trackway to efiect a release of fluid pressure in the brake cylinder to maintain the rate of retardation due to braking substantially constant. 'As the vehicle nears a stop, application and release of the brakes may be controlled by the handle 64 to bring the vehicle to a stop smoothly and without shock.

When the vehicle has been brought to a stop. or when the rate-of retardation is such that the force of inertia is insufficient to maintain the ball 20 on the lower portion of the trackway, the ball will roll to the foot of the inclined plane against the rest 30.

In order to eifect a release of fluid pressure from the brake cylinder I6 at any time the wheels begin to slide, I have provided a relay 98 having contacts I00 in the circuit leading to the electromagnet of the release magnet valve device I4. The relay 98 is adapted to be energized through contacts I02, secured to an insulating member I04, which is adapted to rotate with a wheel of the vehicle. A relatively stationary contact I08 is provided for intermittently bridging the contacts I02.

When the wheel of the Vehicle is rotating at a speed above a certain predetermined value, the frequency of contact between the stationary con tact I06 and the movable contacts I02 is such that the relay 98 is insufliciently energized to open contacts I00. However, when the wheel is caused to slide it must change from a rolling speed to zero speed, and during this interval the frequency of contact between the contacts I06 and I02 will be such that the relay 98 will be energized sufficiently to open the contacts I00, thereby deenergizing the electro-magnet of the release magnet valve device I4 and releasing fluid pressure from the brake cylinder I6. It is to be understood that the wheel does not actually cease rotating, but while the speed of the wheel is diminishing below that corresponding .to the speed of the vehicle pressure will'be released lease magnet valve device I4, so that the speed of rotation of the wheel will cease to diminish and will begin to increase. The parts of the magnet valve device I4 are so designed that the rate of release of pressure from the brake cylinder is great enough so that the wheel which begins to slide does not reach the locked-wheel stage. When the braking force has been-reduced sulficiently so that the wheel begins to rotate again at the speed corresponding to the speed of the vehicle, the relay 98 will be insufficiently energized, contacts I00 will close, and venting of the brake cylinder due to relay 98 will cease.

It will be noted, however, that relay 98 can be energized through the contacts on the wheel only when relay I8 is energized and contacts 80 there of are closed. For relay I8 to be energized, the ball 20 must have rolled up the inclined track.- way at least far enough to bridge contacts 24 and 26. Therefore, when the vehiclespeed diminishes to the point where the speed of rotation of the vehicle wheels reaches the value at which relay 98 is energized, the brakes will be released until the ball 20 will have rolled down the trackway out of engagement with contacts 24 and 28. As the vehicle decelerates then the wheel contacts and relay 98 function to establish a new low limit for the rate of retardation to be maintained by the retardation controller device. and the wheel contacts I02, I04 and I06, thus provide for establishing a new and lower limit of rate of retardation as the speed of the vehicle diminishes, as well as providing for relieving a sliding or slipping wheel condition at any rate of retardation above this low limit.

While I have shown only one set of contacts I02 associated with one wheel of the vehicle, it"is to be understood that I may provide a set of such contacts, a relay 98, supply and release magnet valve devices I2 and I4, and a brake cylinder I6 for each axle of the vehicle, so that the brakes may be. released on wheels in pairs, in the event of wheel skidding.

Considering now the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 5, I have provided a retardationcontroller device I I2, similar to that heretofore described in connection with Fig. l, but having a pivotal connection at one end with some portion of the vehicle with which it is to be associated, as by a hinge H4, and being adapted to be rotated about this hinge by the sliding of a wedge member II6 underthe other end thereof.

In this embodiment the retardation controller device is provided with an inclined trackway having three degrees of inclination or slope, the portion of the trackway to the right being substantially horizontal when the wedge member I I6 has not caused an elevation of the left end of the device, the middle portion of the trackway having a slight inclination or slope, and the extreme left portion having a slope or inclination slightly greater than the middle portion.

Along one side of the trackway I have disposed a contact slip I I8, in flush relation with the rolling surface of the trackway, as before, and. along the opposite side of the trackway and insulated from each other I have provided contact strips I2, I22 and I24.

As in the other embodiment, a metallic ball I25 is adapted to roll along the trackway under force of inertia. When the ball I25 is in'its extreme position to the. right, as against a rest II5, it bridges between contact strips H8 and I20, and as 'it is caused to roll along the trackway it from the brake cylinder, by operation of the re- The relay 08 bridges, successively, between contact strips H8 and I22 and contact strips H8 and I24. As the ball rolls to the extreme left hand portion of the trackway it entirely disengages from the contact strips, thereby interrupting such circuits as were formed previously.

For actuating the wedge member I I6 back and forth, for the purpose of raising and lowering the left end of the retardation controller device II2 so that different rates of retardation may be selected, I have provided a handle I26 connected with the wedge member IIG by a rod I=2'I. Moving the wedge member II6 under the retardation control device I I2 by movement of the handle I26 to the right elevates the inclined trackway, thereby increasing the inclination or slope of the several portions comprising it.

Since the force of inertia acting upon the ball I25 to roll it up the inclined trackway depends upon both the rate of retardation of the vehicle and the inclination of the trackway, it will be obvious that with each degree of inclination of each portion of the trackway a diiferent rate of retardation is required to cause the ball to roll up that portion of the trackway. When the trackway is only slightly elevated by movement of the wedge member II6, the retardation controller device will be effective in maintaining a relatively low rate. of retardation, and for a relatively high degree of elevation of the trackway, as by moving the handle I26 the full distance to the right, the device will be effective in maintaining a high rate of retardation.

For convenience, I have shown an equipment. employing the same supply and release magnet valve devices, brake cylinder and'reservoi-r, as before described.

In the operation of this embodiment, when it is desired to effect an application of the. brakes, the handle I20 is moved to the right a distance in accordance with the desired rate of retardation to be maintained. As the handle I20 is moved to the right it engages a contact I28, thereby connecting the contact strip II8 of the retardation controller device to a suitable source, so that with the ball I25 bridging between contact strips H8 and H0 a slow release relay I30- is energized, whereupon contacts I38 and I38 are closed.

Closing of contacts I38 energizes relay I40 to close contacts I42, whereupon current flows to and energizes the electro-magnet of the release magnet valve device I4. Venting of the brake cylinder I6 is thereby out off.

Closing of contacts I 36 energizes relay I44 to close. contacts. I46 and M8. Closing of contacts I48 supplies current to and energizes the electromagnet. of the supply magnet valve device I2, thereby: permitting fluid under pressure to flow from thereservoir 32 past the unseated valve 34 to the brake cylinder I8. The brakes are therefore applied with fluid pressure. building up in the brake cylinder at a maximum rate.

Assuming the vehicle to be running on a level track, a rate ofretardationis soon reached at which the force of inertia acting upon the ball I25 is sufiicient to cause the ball to roll up the now inclined first portion of the trackway. As the ball rolls off the contact strip I20, the relay I30 willbe deenergized, but the slow. release characteristic of the relay will hold contacts I36. and I38 closed until the ball has come into contact with contact strip. I22, whereupon, relays I40 and I44 will'be maintained energized by the bridging of the ball across contact strips H8 and I22, the

latter relay having a holding coil now energized through holding contacts I46.

As the ball rolls along the contact strip I22 it will reach the middle inclined portion of the trackway, and will tend to slow down or stop. However, as the speed of the vehicle diminishes, the coefficient of friction between the rubbing parts of the brakes increases, so that the rate of retardation will increase and consequently the force of inertia acting upon the ball. The ball will, therefore, continue to roll up the trackway, and as it reaches the upper end of the contact strip I22 and rolls out of contact therewith, relay I44 will be deenergized, thereby opening contacts I46 and I48. The electro-magnet of the supply valve device I2 will, therefore, be deenergized and the supply of fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder will be cut off.

The slope of the trackway increases again at the end of the contact strip I22, so that the ball rolls onto the contact strip I24 at a reduced rate of travel.

With the ball bridging between contact strips H8 and I24, a holding coil of relay I40 is energized and the supply of fluid to the brake cylin- 2 der is, therefore, lapped. With the brakes thus held applied and the speed of the vehicle decreasing, the co-efficient of friction between the rubbing parts of the brake will increase, thus increasing the rate of retardation. The increased rate of retardation will cause the ball to move further up the trackway. As the ball rolls out of contact with the contact strip I24, relay I40 will be deenergized, whereupon the electro-magnet of release magnet valve device I4 will be deenergized, and fluid pressure will be. released from the brake cylinder to the atmosphere.

When the braking force. has thus been reduced to the point where the rate of retardation is insufficient to maintain the ball on the upper portion of the trackway, it will begin to roll down the trackway to the right. As the ball again engages contact strip I24 the venting of the brake cylinder will be cut off, and the brakes will again be lapped.

If now the rate of retardation should again increase so that the ballis again moved up the trackway and out of contact with contact strip I24, a further release of fluid pressure from the brake cylinder will be effected.

However, if the first or any subsequent release of fluid pressure from the brake cylinder effects a rate of retardation such that the ball rolls down the trackway and onto the contact strip I22, fluid will not again be supplied to the brake cylinder as relay I44 is deenergized and cannot again be energized until relay I30 has been energized.

Since with diminishing speed the tendency is always for the rate of retardation to increase,

due to the increasing coefficient of friction between the rubbing parts, the force acting upon the ball tends to always urge the ball up the trackway, whereby it acts to intermittently release fluid pressure from the brake cylinder, to maintain the rate of retardation selected by elevation of the left end of the trackway by the wedge member IIB. If the elevation of the left end is great, a higher rate of retardation is required to roll the ball up to the point where it effects first a lapping,- and subsequently a release of the fluid pressure to the brake cylinder.

If the inclination of the left end is small, a low rate of. retardation will cause the ball to lap tion are required to cause the ball and then release the supply of fluid pressure to the brake cylinder.

As the vehicle approaches a stop, the rate of retardation can be controlled by manipulation of they handle I26, so that the vehicle may be brought to a stop smoothly and without shock.

If for some accidental or other reason the retardation controller device H2 should be rendered inoperative, an application of the brakes may be eflected by moving the handle to the left or emergency position into engagement with contacts I 50'and I52. The handle engages contact I 50 flrst,. thereby energizing the electromagnet of the release magnet valve device I4 to'cut off venting of the brake cylinder, and subsequently engages contact I52 to energize the electro-magnet of the supply valve device I2 to supply fluid under pressure to the brake cylinder. The brakes may be lapped by moving the handle out of contact with contact I52 but maintaining contact with contact I50.

While this movement of the handle I26 to the left is intended to be used foremergency purposes only, it may also be used in bringing the vehicle to a stop, after the retardation controller device has maintained a rate of retardation substantially constant over the major portion of the deceleration period, and it may also be used to hold the vehicle at rest after it as been brought to astop. 1

r In the embodiments described and illustrated I have shown a retardation controller device having a trackway comprised of several straight track portions of difierent degrees of inclination or slope, so that different rates of retardatoroll along the trackway, but I wish it understood that I do notintend to be limited to trackways in which theseveral portions have a fixed degree of inclination or slope. Since each straight portion of thetrackway may be considered as a tangent of an arc, it will be apparent that I may provide a curved trackway, so that each elemental part of the trackway may be considered as a straight portion, or as a tangent of the arc corresponding to the curvature of the trackway. In rolling up such a curved trackway, the'ball would act very much as a pendulum swinging through an arc corresponding to the radius of curvature of the trackway, I, therefore, desire that my invention be understood to include retardation controller devices having either a straight trackway or one in which the slope changes at either regular or irregular intervals.

-While I have shown and described my inven- -.tion with particular reference to an electro-pneumatic brake; it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to this application, but include all such other applications to which my invention may be adapted, and-which are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I

1.'In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination with a brake cylinder, of an inclined trackway, a rolling mass on said trackway adapted to be rolled therealong upona change in the rate of speed of the vehicle, and means rendered operative for one position of said mass for efiecting an intermittent release of fluid pressure from said brake cylinder.

2. In a vehicle brake apparatus the combination with meansincluding'acontrol element for initiating an application of the brakes, oftime delay means rendered operable by movement of said control element, means controlled by said time delay means for eifec'ting a lap condition of the brakes, means for eflecting a release of the brakes, and a retardation controller device for controlling both said lap means and said release means.

3. In a vehicle brake apparatus, the combination with a brake cylinder, of means for efiecting a supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder and for cutting off said supply, a relay adapted to be energized when fluid is supplied to said brake cylinder and operable to effect a cut-off of said supply after a predetermined interval of time, means for effecting a releaseof fluid pressure from said brake cylinder, and a retardation controller deviceoperable to effect operation of both said cut-off means and release means. i v

4. In a fluid pressure brake apparatus, the combination with a brake cylinder, of a magnet valve device operable to control the supply offluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, means for energizing said magnet valve device to efiect a supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a relay adapted. to be energized simultaneously with energization of said magnetvalve device and operable to deenergize said magnet valve device after a predetermined interval of time, a second relay operable to also deenergize said magnet valve device, and retardation controller means for controlling said second relay.

5. In afluid pressure brake apparatus, the

combination with a brake cylinder, of a magnet valve device for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a magnet valve device for controlling the release of fluid pressure from said brake'cylinder, means for energizing said supply'magnet valve device to eflect a supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a relay adapted to be energized simultaneously with energization of said supply mag- .from said brake cylinder, a circuit adapted to supply current to said magnet valve device, a relay having normally closed contacts in said circuit, a second circuit for supplying current to said relay, a second relay having normally open contacts in said second circuit, means whereby the contacts of said first relay control energization of said second relay, aretardation controller device, and means controlled by said retardation controller device for eifecting a supply of current to said first'relay, whereby said second relay and said first relay are caused to intermittently energize and d'eenergize each other.

7. In a vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake cylinder, of an inclined trackway' adapted to be rolled along said trackway to sequentially connect said plurality of contacts to said first mentioned contact, and electroresponsive means controlled by'engagement of said mass with said contacts for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to and its release from said brake cylinder.

8. In a vehicle brake system, the combination with a brake cylinder, of an application magnet valve device, a release'magnet valve device, said devices controlling respectively the supply of fluid under pressure to and its release from said brake cylinder, a retardation controller device having a single contact arranged in spaced relation to and. coextensive with a plurality of contacts and a rolling mass adapted to connect said single contact sequentially to said plurality of contacts, a slow acting relay connected to one of said contacts, a relay controlling operation of said application magnet valve device connected to another of said contacts, a relay controlling operation of said release magnet valve device connected to another of said contacts, and circuit means whereby said relays are controlled by engagement of said rolling mass with said contacts to effect operation of said application magnet valve device to out 01f the supply of fluid to said brake cylinder at one rate of retardation and to effect operation of said release magnet valve device to release fluid pressure from said brake cylinder at another rate of retardation.

9. In a .fluid pressure brake system, the combination with" a brake cylinder, of a retardation controller device having an inclined trackway with contacts disposed therealong and a rolling mass adapted to roll up said trackway by force of inertia, electroresponsive means operative upon engagement of said roliing mass with said contacts for controlling the supply of fluid under pressure to and its release from said brake cylinder, a control element having a neutral position and operable in either a forward or reverse direction, means responsive to a movement of said element in one direction for varyingthe inclination of said trackway to vary the operation of said retardation controller device, and means responsive to movement of said element in an opposite direction for controlling said electroresponsive means independent of operation :of said retardation controller device.

10. A vehicle braking system comprising an application magnet valve device, a release magnet valve device, manually operable means for energizing said devices, :a-normally deenergized application relay operable'when energized to deenergize said application magnet valve device independent of operation of said manual means, a normaliy deenergized release relay operable when energized to deenergizesaid release magnet valve device independent of operation of said manual means, a retardation controller device having two normally open contacts closable at relatively low and relatively high retardation rates respectively, a normally deenergized third relay adapted to be energized when said low rate contact is closed, a normally deenergized fourth relay adapted to be energized when said high rate contact is, closed, means for energizing said third relay when'said fourth relay is closed-even though said low rate contact is open, means :for energizing said application relay when said fourth relay is closed and for subsequently maintaining it energized while said third relay is closed, and means for energizing said release relay when andonly when said fourth relay is closed.

11. A vehicle braking system comprising an application magnet valve device, a release magnet valve device, manually operable means for energizing said devices, a normally deenergized application relay operable when energized to deenergize said application magnet valve device independent of operation of said manual means, a normally deenergized release relay operable when energized to deenergize said release magnet valve device independent of operation of said manual means, a retardation controller device having two normally open contacts closable at relatively low and relatively high retardation rates respectively, means for energizing said application relay and said release relay when said high rate contact is closed, and means for subsequently maintaining said application relay only energized when said low rate contact is closed.

12. A vehicle braking sytem comprising an application magnet valve device, a release magnet valve device, a retardation controller device having a normally closed first contact and normally open second and third contacts, said first contact being adapted to be opened at a relatively low rate of retardation and said other contacts being adapted to be closed at other rates of retardation, a normally open manually operated contact, a first relay operable only when said manually operated contact and said first retardation contact are closed, a second and third relay, means for operating said second and third relays when said first relay is operated, a holding circuit for said second relay including said manually operated contact and said second retardation controller contact, means for operating said third relay when said manually operated contact and either said second or said third retardation controller contact are closed, means for energizing said application valve device when said second relay is operated, and means for energizing said release valve device when said third relay is operated.

13. A vehicle braking system comprising an application magnet valve device, a release magnet valve device, a retardation controller device having three contacts, the first of said contacts being normally closed and being adapted to be opened at a relatively low rate of retardation of the vehicle and the second and third of said contacts being normally open and adapted to be closed at intermediate and high retardation rates respectively, a normally open manually operated contact, means for energizing both of said valve devices when said manually operated contact and said first retardation controller contact are closed and for subsequently maintaining both of said valve devices energized when said second retardation controller contact closes, and means for energizing said release valve device only when said third retardation controller contact and said manually operated contact are closed.

14'. In a vehicle brake apparatus, in combination, a brake cylinder, means for efiecting a supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a retardation controller device having a first contact and a second contact and a body operated at one rate of retardation of the vehicle to engage said first contact and at a higher rate of retardation to engage said second contact, means responsive to engagement of said body with said second contact for cutting off the supply to said brake cylinder and releasing fluid under pressure therefrom, and means for maintaining said supply cut off until said body has disengaged from both of said contacts,

15. In a vehicle brake system, in combination, a brake cylinder, electroresponsive valve means operable when energized to effect a supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a circuit for supplying current to said electroresponsive valve means, a normally deenergized relay operable when energized to open said circuit, a retardation controller device having a first contact and a second contact and a body operated according to the rate of retardation of the vehicle for first engaging said first contact and for then engaging said second contact, means responsive to engagement of said body with said second contact only for energizing said relay, and means for preventing deenergization of said relay until said body has disengaged from both of said contacts.

16. In a vehicle brake system, in combination, a brake cylinder, a magnet valve device operable when energized to effect a supply of fluid under pressure to said brake cylinder, a second magnet valve-device operable when deenergized to eflect a release of fluid under pressure from said brake cylinder, a retardation controller device having a first contact and a second contact and a body operated according to the rate of retardation of the vehicle for first engaging said first contact and.

for then engaging said second contact, means responsive to engagement of said body with said second contact only for deenergizing both of said magnet valve devices, and means for preventing reenergization of said first magnet valve device until said body has disengaged from both of said contacts but permitting reenergization of said second magnet valve device when said body has disengaged from said second contact.

17. In a vehicle brake system, in combination,

a brake cylinder, a retardation controller device having a trackway of difierent degrees of slope, contacts disposed along the sides of said trackway, a metallic ball adapted to be rolled along said trackway by force of inertia, magnet valve devices for controlling the supply of fiuid under pressure to and its release from said brake cylinder, and means for controlling said magnet valve devices upon engagement of said ball with said contacts.

GEORGE W. BAUGHMAN. 

